Football Heads and Pink Bows
by Polkahotness
Summary: Moments between Helga and Arnold, or individually. Scattered throughout their High School lives as they fight to admit their liking of each other. Enjoy, and R&R!
1. Harmonica Induced Memories

**_This was inspired by the ending of the episode, "The List" when Arnold was playing harmonica with Pookie as I watched it on 90's are all that on TeenNick. _**

**_Enjoy guys and lemme know what you think!_**

**_Polkahotness xoxo_**

* * *

><p>It was dusty and I wasn't even entirely sure if it would play, but while I turned it around in my hands I thought back to the songs I was once able to get it to sing. I imagined putting my lips to it and hearing that soulful sound ring through the air the way it had when Grandma and I would play songs together in various places of the boarding house.<p>

Being away from the boarders was hard. Being away from EVERYONE was hard. And yet for some reason, this tiny rectangle of metal with its 16 holes held some memory longing to be tapped into; begging to be played.

Biting my lip for a brief moment and looking at it once more, I brought the harmonica to my lips and sucked in a deep breath before letting it out into the proper area. Dust flew every which way and I began to cough with the instrument still held tightly in my hand.

"One more time..." I mumbled to myself while bringing it back to my mouth.

With a soft blow, my then empty dorm room filled with a sound so clear and crisp, I'd almost forgotten how real and raw it felt. I'd forgotten how good it once made me feel.

Each note I blew felt so natural to play as if I had been playing only moments before and while my hands shook as they held the instrument, I soon grew comfortable with what I was doing.

My mind grew fleeting.

I'd forgotten how music really was such a big part of me before I'd left, that I hadn't realized how important it was until it was boxed up and sent to Florida with me the day I had to tell everyone goodbye.


	2. Employee of the Month

_**This is based on my current job and how I feel. Figured Helga would understand better than anyone ;) **_

**_Enjoy! :) _**

_**Polka**_

* * *

><p>Being invisible at home was pretty hard. But I had grown used to it. It is what it is and life sucks.<p>

However, I hadn't really imagined that it would follow me to my work.

I worked at a local department store, and every month we had that stupid "Employee of the Month" thing I always used to laugh at.

"Criminy. What a lame way to try and get you to work harder. It's just some lame title." I always used to say.

And then, I got moved up to sales associate instead of just being some folder of new clothes that smelled fresh like a cardboard box.

That was when I started working a hell of a lot harder. Which was when I realized that while I had been moved up, I was completely replaceable.

I thought to myself, "I'm not going to be walked all over. I'm Helga G. PATAKI and I am completely worthy to be some stupid title on a wall." It was a dumb title, sure, but I could get it easy.

I worked hard. So getting Employee of the Month should have been a piece of cake.

It should have been.

I folded clothes.

I put away clothes.

I helped customers with the biggest damn smile I could muster, and you know what I get the next month?

Diddly squat, that's what.

I was about as noticed as the wall behind them. I was about as important as a grain of sand.

Easily replaced. Easily forgotten.

It was like my broken house all over again.

I watched as month and month passed me by with every name besides mine posted on that damn wall. Every month I looked at it with a hopeful smile and found myself more pissed than the month before.

"I deserve it. It's a load of crap that they won't just give it to me already."

"If they just gave it to you," Arnold said one day in Environmental Science class while looking closely at some rock under a microscope, "then wouldn't you feel like you didn't work at all to get it?" he turned to look at me with an open-minded expression.

"No. Because I deserve it."

"I'm not saying you don't, Helga. You work very hard. I know you pretty well-"

"You don't know me, bucko. You know NOTHING about me."

He twisted on his chair and crossed his arms.

"I don't."

"No."

"I know that you work really hard, but try not to show it. I know that you do that because of the Olga issue. You don't want people to think that you're trying to live up to her because you and I BOTH know that you don't have to live up to her. You are just as smart as her, but you don't want to feel like you have to prove yourself."

"Lucky guess. Name another thing."

He smirked and returned his attention back to the microscope.

"You have a lot more feelings than just anger."

I swallowed hard for a moment.

"W-what?"

"You're not some bully. So don't even try to make me think you are. I've known for a long time now."

"Kn-kno-known? I... I don't know what you're talking about."

"Known that you care a lot more than you lead on. After all, that's why you want Employee of the Month so bad. You care a lot to get noticed and to be told you're doing well, because you feel that you are."

My eyes widened for a moment before I cleared my throat and began my usual protest that took place when Arnold was spot on about something I didn't want to admit being wrong about.

"Pfft. I could care LESS if I got it. I just think I desrve it, that's all. I don't need their dinky little printed paper saying all the things I do right to know I'm a great worker, Arn_oldo_, I KNOW I'm good. And I could write my own damn 'what I do right' page. Hell, I could write a NOVEL I'm so good. I've only worked there since freshman year."

Scribbling down some numbers on his packet, I watched as his smile widened slightly.

"Whatever you say, Helga."

But he was right.

My beloved, as always, was right. How was it that he could know me so well, and yet never know my true feelings for him and that perfectly oblong shaped head of his?

How proud I was to fight until the death when I was clearly wrong. How shameful I felt to lie through my teeth about every aspect of myself, when Arnold already knew.

"Okay..." I started, hesitantly, "let's say, HYPOTHETICALLY of course, that you were right, and I DID care. A... a lot. What would you do if you were me?"

Arnold reached for my packet and copied the numbers he wrote on his own down in the table.

"I would maybe change your attitude."

"Excuse me?"

He finished writing and put the packet down in front of me while turning to look at me once again.

"I would try to show that you really enjoy your job. Those who tend to get Employee of the Month, no matter the kind of job, are recognized more when they truly enjoy their job-"

"But my job SUCKS, Arnold."

"Act like it doesn't. Be happy, make jokes, be agreeable unlike how you typically act. Show them the best you have to offer. If you do that for a while, more than just a month too Helga, and you still don't get the recognition then maybe you should confront your Manager and ask what it is you could improve upon. Managers like that you will take initiative and showing that you want to do even better."

"You think that will work?"

He nodded his head and smiled a warm smile.

"You're a great girl, Helga. And if they saw the potential I see in you, then I'm sure they can't ignore you."

I felt the heat swim to my cheeks in my veins and I smiled, completely swooned.

"I... I..." I took a breath and swallowed. "Thank you, Arnold."

"Any time, Helga."

The bell rang and Arnold picked up my packet from me to turn both of our projects in. The day was nearly over, and I was actually excited about going to work.

Maybe Arnold was right and by showing that I LIKED my job, maybe they'd LIKE having me there.

It was worth a shot, anyway.


	3. Let the Rain Fall Down

"Think about it. When it all boils down to it, Helga is a jerk. Story over. Case closed."

"I'm not convinced."

"And have you noticed that she's been even MEANER since you started dating Andrea? She's lost it, man."

"I don't think she's LOST it, Gerald. I think that she is just..."

"Just what?" He asked while crossing his arms.

"Just... being mean for no reason. Like always."

"Alright, then. YOU have lost it."

"No, I haven't. I'm just not convinced that she's crazy. Whatever her reasoning for picking on me is, it is her reason, and none of my business to know."

"You only say that because you know she has a creepy weird crush on you."

"No, she doesn't."

"She told you."

"No she didn't."

He raised his eyebrow.

"Then remind me again what happened on the top of THE roof, hmm?"

"She said something in a moment when a lot of crazy things were happening."

"Mm mm MM. You are more in denial than SHE is."

"Gerald..."

"What? It's true."

I didn't think so.

I frowned as I saw her sit on the porch of her house.

"Helga?"

She turned her attention to me and frowned.

"What do you want."

"Just wanted to know what you're doing."

"Sitting, what is it to you, PAL?"

I took a few steps towards her and smirked.

"In the rain?"

"Yeah. What about it, bucko?"

I walked over to sit by her and put my umbrella over her head to share.

"You're going to get sick."

"So."

"So, once again, why are you out in the rain?"

"I'm thinking, okay?"

"About...?"

"Why do you give a rat's ass, hmm? Buzz off."

I frowned and remained in place.

"And get your stupid umbrella away from me." she pushed my hand away so I was only sheltering myself from the brutal rain that was pouring down. "I don't need your football-headed charity."

I glanced to her and sighed, soon taking my umbrella and closing it. Reaching over, I set it against the trash can nearby and folded my hands in my lap, letting the rain soak me to the bone.

"What are you doing?"

"If you won't use the umbrella... then I won't."

"That's stupid."

"Says who?" I turned to look at her, my tone turning a little sour.

"Says me. Put the umbrella back up and just leave me alone."

"Now who cares?"

"I don't care about you or your freaky shaped head."

"Then why are you so mad at me, hmm?"

She crossed her arms, shielding her chest from the sideways rain.

"I don't need a REASON to be mad at you, Hair Boy."

"Everyone needs a reason to be mad at someone."

"Not Helga G. Pataki." She was shivering now and I took off my jacket to gently set on her shoulders.

"Helga..."

"What? Criminy! Don't you know when to give it a rest?" She shouted, though accepting my jacket without hesitation.

"This wouldn't have to do... with my dating Andrea, would it?"

This made her stall for a moment.

"Wh-wh...what are you TALKING about Arn_oldo_? Where would you get some kind of sick idea like that?"

"Gerald."

"Should've known it was Tall Hair Boy's idea." Her teeth were chattering now and I was feeling pretty chilly, the breeze making the cold rain even colder.

"Helga, you really should go inside... you're getting sick."

"No I'm NOT. What is your DEAL? Shouldn't you be with Andrea or something already?"

"So it is about her..."

"No it isn't."

"Yes, it is, Helga. Is it because you still... you know."

"I know WHAT." She was practically spitting the words at me and while I knew that she was getting agitated, but I kept pushing.

"Like me."

This got her laughing.

"Like you? LIKE you? Why would I like someone like you? Someone as weird, as crazy shaped headed as YOU? Why would I waste my TIME?"

"You don't have to be so rude."

"But I DO because otherwise, you'll sit here all day thinking you're helping me when you're really not-"

"I'm not doing it because I want to help you. I'm doing this because I want to just because I want to."

"That's a hell of a lame reason."

I frowned and shrugged.  
>"I just thought maybe you wouldn't mind if I sat by you and talked."<p>

"About WHAT."

"About... things."

She shot me a look and laughed quietly.

"Things? What could you possibly have to tell me about?"

"What do you wanna know?"

I watched as she tapped her chin in thought, shivering almost wildly now, her hair stringy from the rain as it didn't let up.

"I... I wanna k-know... wh-wh-wh..." she paused and took a deep breath. "I wanna know wh-why you ch-chose her..."

"Andrea?"

She nodded her head, her attention focused on the water as it traveled down the cracks in the street.

"Because I like her."

"Wh-why?"

I was starting to shiver pretty bad, and I shrugged through it all.

"Because... she's nice. She...she just... I don't know. I-I just like her."

"Are... are you happy?"

I nodded my head and smiled.

"Yes, I am Helga."

Just then, the door opened, Helga's mom staggering as she stood in the doorway.

"He...Helga? What... What are you doing here? It's raining."

she stood up and crossed her arms.

"D-doi, Mir...Miriam. Br-bright observation."

"Why are you outside, honey?"

"Because you forgot to unlock the door for me after school AGAIN."

_That's why she was out here... _

"Well... Well come on inside, Helga. You'll get sick."

I stood up and reached for my umbrella, it's shelter from the rain, something I hardly needed.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Helga" She pulled the jacket off of her shoulders and offered it to me, and I simply shook my head. "Keep it. I can pick it up another time when it's dry. I have plenty others." I smiled and started on my way home.

"Hey... Hey Arnold?" She called out after me.

"Yes, Helga?"

"I'm... I'm happy that you're happy."

Her facial expression, though slightly sad, feigned a smile and I sighed with a smile.

"Thank you, Helga."

"Yeah... yeah well don't get used to it, buck...bucko."

I chuckled crossed my arms to keep myself as warm as possible from the rain.

"What...Wh-whatever you s-say, Helga."


	4. I Need Some Sleep

**_Yeah, it's very short. Just a little blurbby about Helga and her family. _**

******_I don't own Hey Arnold! and I don't own the song, "I need some sleep" by the eels _**

* * *

><p>I grabbed the blanket I had wrapped around me on the couch, reached for my MP3 player, and quietly wandered<p>

outside as the sun slowly turned the sky orange in its departure.

"Bullshit…" I muttered as I scrolled through the song titles until reaching the one I had been in search of.

"everyone says 'you're getting down too low'

Everyone says, you've just got to let it go…" the soft song sang in my hurting ears.

I hated the yelling. I hated the screaming and stomping around my house and I closed my eyes for a moment as I

sat on the stoop, soon giving in and opening them again to watch the cars pass me by.

I lay the blanket over my bare knees and focused on the music as it slowly took over my world.

Which of course, was when Bob stepping out and poked me with his foot.

Taking out the ear bud in my left ear, I turned to look at him.

"What?" I snarled as he stood in the doorway with the door held open.

"Come inside."

"No."

His face twisted into an angry expression.

"You heard me, little lady. You grab that blanket and get your sorry butt back inside."

I smirked sarcastically and shook my head.

"Sorry DAD, but I'd rather be out here."

After a moment, he frowned and made his way back inside, mumbling over his shoulder, "Just don't go

anywhere."

As if he cared.


	5. Betsy and Her Five Avengers

**_Very different concept here. This is just an idea I had and yeah. _**

**_The _Bold Font _is Arnold's POV_**

**_The _**Regular Font **_is Helga's POV_**

**_The Bold and Italic Font is Both of them talking. _**

**_Let me know what you guys think! _**

**_also, i don't own hey arnold. _**

**_xoxo_**

**_Polkahotness_**

* * *

><p>There was something sick about the way Arnold looked at Lila.<p>

**There was something weird about the way Helga glared at Lila. **

_**And I didn't like it. **_

I mean the kid had just broken up with that Andrea girl and all I wanted to do was smack her in the face. How DARE she cheat on Arnold? He was the nicest guy any of us had ever known. He was the practically the nicest guy in the whole damn world. And that girl, CHEATED on him? I wanted to show her who she was messing with. But shouldn't he be more distraught? Shouldn't he be sad or mad or hurt or SOMETHING? Shouldn't he CARE that his girlfriend cheated on him? No. The kid was looking at _Li_la and with those glimmer eyes the way I had always dreamed, he'd one day look at me... like he... loved me.

**It was like she wanted to kill her. All the years of my life I had seen Helga's reaction to Lila, and she used to just not like her. Now suddenly, suddenly she was shooting her the death glare. I couldn't understand how one day she could wake up and hate someone so completely. Sure, she could hate me, but she didn't have to hate Lila. She was kind and sweet and cared about everyone's best interest. She was one of the nicest girls**

She was one of the world's worst wormy scumbag bitches

_**in the whole world. **_

**How could she hate her? She hadn't done anything to her. At least, I didn't THINK she had done anything to her. I mean, what could she do? **

She led Arnold on like some little tramp. Before Arnold and Andrea were dating she treated him overly nice, when they broke up she started to invit him over every stinkin' weekend and then at the parties we went to? The first party we went to after his break up, they went off and made-out. They were always fooling around somewhere since she showed up in Hillwood way back when.. It was sickening the way she treated him, and the football-head never even picked up on it. Hell, I doubt he ever will.

**Maybe it was because of that night... It wasn't my fault. I blame Gerald entirely. He kept pushing and Lila was intent on kissing me, no matter what I told her. And... I was so mad that Andrea would cheat on me. It wasn't fair. I had stayed loyal to her in our six months of dating, and I had turned down a girl or two here and there, but she went off with any guy who asked her to. I wanted to show her that I could get somebody too. Somebody better than her. **

_**It was just wrong. **_

She used him.

**I used her. **

She found him at his weakest and took ADVANTAGE of the BEST damn guy in the entire world. She kissed him in FRONT of me and I wanted to smack her. I wanted to slap her upside the head and tell her that she had no BUSINESS with someone as good as Arnold. She had no business screwing up his life.

**But Helga didn't seem to think so. She marched over to where we were kissing on the couch, red cup in hand, and grabbed Lila by the shoulder, pulling her away from me. **

_**'Let go, Helga!' she screamed, trying to slap her away in a futile attempt. **_

**But Lila was no match for Helga. **

I was a hell of a lot stronger than her, and I had a lot more to tell her. I was going to show her once and for all that she didn't OWN Arnold and she couldn't keep leading him on like some puppy. He was gaga over her, always had been, and she wasn't RIGHT for him! I had to prove to her that she wasn't supposed to BE with him.

I was. It was supposed to be ME kissing him on that couch. It was supposed to be ME talking him through that breakup. ME!

_**Helga G. Pataki **_

**was glaring at her, gripping her shoulder hard as Lila tried to squirm out of her hands. **

"**Let me go!" she said again. "What did I do to you?" **

"**It isn't ME your doing it to, _Li_la. You're taking advantage of him!" **

**I looked around, feeling everyone's eyes on the three of us as we occupied the middle of the living room. **

"**Helga, what are you talking about? I kissed her!" **

"**I'm ever so certain you don't know what you're talking about." **

_**And that was when it happened. **_

Right then and there, I winded up my fist and came down, my fist connecting with her eye as she yelled out in pain.

_**The room was silent. **_

**Helga had just done the unthinkable. It wasn't long before I helped Lila up, looked Helga straight in the eye and shook my head. She knew what I was thinking. I didn't need to tell her. **

Lila's perfect face didn't look so perfect anymore. Nah, that bruise was my only proof that that night happened. It was what showed me I had finally gotten my point across.

**I don't know what point Helga was trying to prove, but it didn't work. Lila looked horrible, sitting in her seat in the cafeteria with that big bruise covering her once perfectly shaped eye. **

She was looking at Arnold, a weak smile on her face, and I frowned.

**She smiled at me and I smiled back to her, it would be okay. It would be okay even if her face didn't look to it's normal standards. All I knew is that maybe Helga WAS everything she seemed she was. Maybe... maybe I had been wrong. **

Maybe I shouldn't have punched her in the face. I mean, Arnold was dense, like REALLY dense. He didn't GET things. Maybe he wouldn't GET why I would stand up for him like that. He hadn't even talked to me all day.

**It would take a lot for her to prove herself to me again. Helga had punched Lila in the face. **

_**It was drastic. It looked painful. It wasn't the right thing to do. **_

Keep it together old girl, I told myself. Give it a week. Just a week. Maybe he'll come around.

**Maybe Helga will come around. **

But what I did,

**But what she did, **

_**hadn't been the real Helga at all. **_


	6. That Stupid Monster of Jealousy

"And she had the GULL to yell at me in front of EVERYONE about how I complain all the time, when I really don't. I mean, I've been trying everything you told me to do and she just... doesn't give a care in the whole world."

Arnold continued glancing from his textbook to the worksheet in complete silence.

I'd been talking to him for about fourty-five minutes now and the kid STILL hadn't answered a single thing I'd asked him or commented on a single thing that I had said.

_He's mad. I can't believe he's still MAD. It was a WEEK ago and Lila's perfect face had healed just to how it was before I socked her for throwing herself at Arnold. Did he REALLY still not get that I was HELPING him? Criminy! _

"You could answer me, you know. I mean... I bet everyone in this class-"

"You punched Lila in the face, Helga."

I sat staring at him for a moment.

"Yeah. So."

"So you can't even use the excuse that you were drunk."

"Then what's your excuse, football-head?"

For the first time in a week, he turned his beautiful emerald eyes at me and looked so deep into me, that I felt my cheeks turn a dark color of red.

"Excuse for what, Helga? I didn't do anything wrong."

"You let Lila throw herself all over you!"

"I did not. That's ridiculous."

"You know," I started while closing my book that I hadn't even been looking at and frowned "we all get that you've been crushing on Lila since she moved her perfect ass here, but-"

"Why is who I like your business, Helga?"

I swallowed hard and turned away from him.

"I was just trying to help you."

"By punching her in the face."

Snapping my head back at him, I crossed my arms and glared his way.

"YES by punching her in the face."

He shook his head just then, returning his attention back to the worksheet.

"So are you still going to be mad at me?"

"Until you apologize, yes."

"You want... you want me to... to APOLOGIZE for trying to help you?"

"When on that night did I ask for your help?"

"Well... I guess you... I mean... maybe... so you DIDN'T ask exactly but... but I just figured-"

"You need to apologize, Helga."

"And then you won't be all Grumpy Gills anymore?"

A small chuckle escaped from his mouth and he closed his textbook with his worksheet inside; soon twisting to put it in his backpack and stand up while swinging it over his shoulder.

"Whatever you say, Helga. Just... go apologize."

And with that, the bell rang giving us all a chance to take the usual paths we take to our classes.

* * *

><p>Our school is pretty old. We've had it since the sixties at LEAST and it is so overcrowded, that it is sometimes just impossible to get to a class on time. Which made my quest for finding Miss Perfect a very tough one.<p>

"I shouldn't have to do this. I was helping him!" I told Phoebe when I met up with her from her Physics class to walk to psychology together.

"But he doesn't see it that way, Helga. You can't possibly expect him, or Lila for that matter, to find you punching her to be a form of help."

"She was ALL OVER HIM, Pheebs! I wasn't just going to stand there!"

"And Arnold doesn't understand what would provoke you to do such a thing in the first place, now does he?"

I dodged a few people on their cellphones and shrugged while still glancing around in search for Lila.

"Well... not exactly..."

"As I've said before, Helga, one of these days you are going to have to just tell him about... how you feel. It won't be easy, but one day you will just have to do it. There's Lila over there by Eugene. Be gentle, Helga. Sometimes I fear that you don't really do what Dr. Bliss suggests..."

"Pheebs-"

"Even though you say you do."

"Thanks, Phoebe."

"Not a problem, Helga. I'll see you in class."

Taking a deep breath, I walked over in the direction of the ever-smiling Lila and shoved my hands in my pockets; standing behind her in an uncomfortable stance.

_Its for Arnold. Remember that, Helga. _I told myself and took a deep breath, watching her until she spun around with widened eyes at who was behind her.

"H-Helga..." she stuttered and I flashed a winning smile.

"Hey there, Lila, what's shakin'?"

"Shaking? Helga, I'm afraid I don't understand..."

Trying to dodge around me, I thwarted her efforts and grinned.

"Helga... I really... I need to get to class and I would just ever so appreciate it if you would maybe move-"

"I want to apologize?"

"But... what for?"

"You know what for. For socking you in the face."

"Oh. That." She glanced down at her feet and I felt the eyes of almost every classmate I've ever had staring at us; Arnold watching from a distance while standing beside Gerald.

_Here's your moment, Helga. Go in for the kill. _

"Yeah. I uh... I shouldn't have... punched you."

"Well Helga... I must say that I agree. Even if I did hurt your feelings or made you jealous or something."

The color drained from my face.

"Jeal...Jealous? You think... you thought... Me? Jealous? PSSH. Why would I be jealous of you macking on some weird football-headed freak?"

"Helga..."

"Look. I just want to apologize. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Do you forgive me or what?"

"Well..." She carefully said while looking around at the crowd we had drawn, "I suppose so. But only under one condition."

I crossed my arms and shrugged.

"And what's that, _Li_la?"

She grinned and closed her locker.

"Don't be so jealous next time, okay?"

I stood in that hallway for the remainder of the passing period, and a few minutes after that. I walked into my next class like a zombie and took my seat without so much as an excuse for my tardiness.

She had won.

By God... Lila Sawyer had won.

This round at least.


End file.
